Earnest researches and developments have been progressed regarding non-aqueous electrolyte batteries which charge and discharge electricity by transfer of lithium ions from the negative electrode to the positive electrode and vice versa as high-energy density batteries.
These non-aqueous electrolyte batteries are expected to have various characteristics according to their use. They are prospectively used, for example, at a discharge rate of about 3 C for a power source of a digital camera and at a discharge rate of about 10 C or higher for automobiles such as hybrid electric cars. Therefore, the non-aqueous electrolyte batteries used in these fields are desired to have large-current characteristics.
Non-aqueous electrolyte batteries obtained using a lithium-transition metal composite oxide as the positive electrode active material and a carbonaceous material as the negative electrode active material are currently produced on a commercial basis. In these lithium-transition metal composite oxides, Co, Mn and Ni are generally used as the transition metal.